Easily her best work to date, Karolina Zmarlak’s Fall 2012 collection is luxury and culture at its finest. Inspired by bullfighting matadors and the politics of Spain, Zmarlak created a collection that reflected well the vigor and depth of her inspiration. Her Spring 2012 collection referenced women under communism in Poland, further evidence Zmarlak does her homework. “Spain was in the position that Poland’s in now, about 20 years ago, so this collection is an homage to my business partner’s love for Spain, but also how I think their future will play out,” Zmarlak explained.
story by Landon Peoples
photos by Aeric Meredith-Guojon
web editor Rachel Reneé
Easily her best work to date, Karolina Zmarlak’s Fall 2012 collection is luxury and culture at its finest. Inspired by bullfighting matadors and the politics of Spain, Zmarlak created a collection that reflected well the vigor and depth of her inspiration. Her Spring 2012 collection referenced women under communism in Poland, further evidence Zmarlak does her homework. “Spain was in the position that Poland’s in now, about 20 years ago, so this collection is an homage to my business partner’s love for Spain, but also how I think their future will play out,” Zmarlak explained. Continue reading “Karolina Zmarlak – Fall 2012 – El Matadora”
The interplay between life and death, decay and rebirth, are common elements in the world of art. It is rare, however, for a fashion designer to be able to illustrate these tensions in their work simply as a matter of practicality. Ashley Lloyd, a young milliner based in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood, balances the grotesque and the beautiful on a razor’s edge. She utilizes a variety of remains and relics that includes skulls, horns, insects and deconstructed birds, among other artifacts.
story by Graham M. Steffen
photos by Ned & Aya Rosen
hair styling by Hitomi Mura
make-up by Isabel Ruiz
model is Theresa from Ford Women
designer Ashley Lloyd
The interplay between life and death, decay and rebirth, are common elements in the world of art. It is rare, however, for a fashion designer to be able to illustrate these tensions in their work simply as a matter of practicality. Ashley Lloyd, a young milliner based in Brooklyn’s Bushwick neighborhood, balances the grotesque and the beautiful on a razor’s edge. She utilizes a variety of remains and relics that includes skulls, horns, insects and deconstructed birds, among other artifacts.
“They affect me, or hold some power over me in some way, shape, or form. I’m drawn to them, whether the attachment stems from fear, nostalgia, or beauty.”
Drawing on inspiration from her childhood in Jacksonville, Florida, where she accompanied her father on hunting and fishing trips, as well as from visits to Italian reliquaries in Florence, Ms. Lloyd makes hats that recall the Renaissance interest in the macabre but also involve the wildlife and naturalism of rural America.
“I love items with a history – remnants of a life once had.”
Viewing the works firsthand, one gains an appreciation of the craftsmanship; each feather, beetle, or bone is delicately and exactingly placed, yet the disorder of nature is still maintained, as though the materials had chosen their own positioning. It is obvious that the creator knows when to step back from a piece and let it stand alone, without fussing over the details.
“Hats hold a unique power and ability to transform their wearers. I love the way hats inform garments and vice versa, and as a result I find a tremendous amount of creative satisfaction in collaborating with fashion designers.”
The pieces may not be instantly accessible by mainstream clientele, but fashion-forward individuals such as Lady Gaga have already been contacting Ms. Lloyd to commission pieces to be paired with the likes of Valentino. This long tradition, wherein two masters in complementary fields are able to reinforce and set off each others’ designs in breathtaking combinations, is likely to be a strong part of Ms. Lloyd’s future.
Ned and Aya Rosen recently had the opportunity to work with stylist Vava Marevicheff-Ignatenko. Here is their editorial, featuring garments and accessories by… Ashley Lloyd Millinery, Avant Garde Jewelry, Blank Silk, The Blonds, Circa Sixty Three, CHRISHABANA, Danika, Erik Bergrin, Free Lance, Jac Langheim, Laruicci, L’Autre Chose, Leonid Gurevich, Norman Ambrose, Rynshu, Tarvydas, Triviàl New York, and Victoria’s Secret
photography by Ned and Aya Rosen
styling by Vava Marevicheff-Ignatenko
makeup by Agata Helena using MAC
hair styling by Seiji Uehara @ Ennis
stylist assistant Ashley Roberts
hair assistant Sofiya Pylo
model is Laticia Lamb from One Model Management
